# Sadness and alcohol: not helping, get over it **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 28, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730 "2015-06-28T20:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/1 "2015-06-28T20:03:07Z")
I had a rather unpleasant thing happen a few days ago. Granted, I set myself up in what some might see as having to deal with it in the roughest possible way, and I saw it coming for over a month. Now it is over, and I am very sad, though in a way relieved that it is over. So I tried getting drunk. That got me to drunk-plus-sad, which did not seem like a good place. How does it work for other people? Do you just drink yourself into a stupor so that you can forget for a while? So that then you end hung over and focused on that instead of the sadness? I am just not understanding how this is supposed to help. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/2 "2015-06-28T20:30:12Z")
I drink home brew. I do not get hangovers. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/3 "2015-06-28T20:39:16Z")
Some people get happy drunk. Some people do not obsess on the _thing_ that made them sad, but instead are able to do other things - be social, laugh at Seinfeld, whatever. In many cases, if you’re down, alcohol just going to make you more down. And lead to you blubbering over your beer to some stranger. I don’t personally recommend it. I think it just leads to teh stupid. Then you can wake up the next day and feel like an ass and have sad. Not a great combo. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/4 "2015-06-28T21:11:45Z")
I get he socializing part, but that just does not work so well for me. I am not so fond of drunk people that being around them while I am drunk is all that appealing (unless I know them pretty well). And, well, this was pretty personal, I am not at all keen on being mocked over it or having it trivialized, which I suspect would happen with strangers. I guess drunk really only works for me when I am already in a good mood. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/5 "2015-06-28T21:45:37Z")
For many people like myself alcohol does little to nothing for easing internal turmoil. I drink to socialize and I simply would not really want to drink if I was angry. You’re simply not in the mood. Being drunk and upset is (for me) worse than just being angry. It’d be like saying “I’m really pissed off/upset … let’s throw myself a party!” ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/6 "2015-06-28T21:52:27Z")
I quit drinking about 1 week after my divorce. I was always a happy go lucky drinker but with a broken heart it just seemed to make it worse. Sex was the only thing that seemed to help and that was very very short lived relief. A little bit of time and it seemed to just resolve itself. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/7 "2015-06-28T23:06:24Z")
Alcohol is a depressant. No good has ever come from alcohol. But it sure can feel good while the liquid is flowing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/8 "2015-06-28T23:09:47Z")
I’ve found alcohol exaggerates whatever I was feeling already. I won’t drink if I’m depressed because it will get worse. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/9 "2015-06-29T00:57:46Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > No good has ever come from alcohol. I do not believe that. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/10 "2015-06-29T01:14:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’ve found alcohol exaggerates whatever I was feeling already. I won’t drink if I’m depressed because it will get worse. Yeah, but, you’re Tripolar. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/11 "2015-06-29T01:20:56Z")
I think it depends on the nature of the problem that is upsetting you. After a day of dealing with an annoying person at work, when what you need is to relax and start laughing about what a tool that person is, a drink or two is a perfect tonic. However, if I were dealing with a significant life tragedy, I don’t think I’d want to drink, because then I’d be both heartbroken AND unable to think clearly, which is not a combination that I’d want to face. ---
**Author:** ![Reads\_a\_Lot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9a28c/32.png) [@Reads\_a\_Lot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reads_a_Lot)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/12 "2015-06-29T01:25:03Z")
When I was depressed I drank to be numb. I think it’s a fairly common behavior. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sadness-and-alcohol-not-helping-get-over-it/723730/13 "2015-06-29T01:30:01Z")
If your situation can be solved by saying with conviction “oh well, fuck it, doesn’t matter anyway”, then alcohol can be your friend. It’s a decent balm for temporary, inconsequential anxiety (problems that are unpleasant, but don’t really call for a serious solution).